LITR 4326 Early American Literature Research Posts 2016 (research post assignment) Research Post 1

Burgundy Anderson

The Final Frontier

 Lewis and Clark expeditions have been the focus of much writing for the past two hundred or so years. Their ability to capture the imaginations of the American public has been remarkable. The findings of the expedition became such a cultural phenomenon both when they first arrived home and still today. Not only did their findings influence American culture but also the general view of the world at large. Their continued prevalence made me want to explore how their expeditions shaped America and the American view of our land.

Thomas Jefferson had extreme views on interpreting the Constitution very literally. Despite this, he found reason enough to purchase a huge tract of land from Napoleon (who was disillusioned by the prospect of colonization after an uprising in Haiti) and double the size of America’s land. One of the major issues that Lewis and Clark would face was getting through territories which were still disputed, particularly as they moved further west. In order to alleviate the issue before it was a real problem, Jefferson had the dignitaries of Britain and Spain create passports providing safe journeys along the routes of what remained as disputed territories. Jefferson was able to convince these ambassadors that the journey of Lewis and Clark would contribute to scientific knowledge and knowledge of the territories.

The writings of the expeditions were published a few years after Lewis and Clarks return. It was an instant best seller, in both the United States and Britain. The captains came home to cheering crowds and impromptu dinners and a ball at a tavern in St. Louis. A few days later, there was “a gala dinner hosted by city officials in Washington D.C.” although only Lewis attended (Foley, The View from Britain). Many Europeans took notice of the journey and read about it.

Since the expedition, literally hundreds of articles and books have been written concerning the Captain’s journals of the travels, and there have even been movies based on the same. There is even a book concerning the diction chosen by the two Captains, as some words were archaic and some things they just made up. The adventures of Lewis and Clark captured the imaginations of both Americans as well as the world at large. I thought originally this paper would be much more focused on the expeditions themselves, but I was able to find such a wealth of information regarding their influence I thought it worth noting.

Works Cited

Foley, William E.. “Lewis and Clark's American Travels: The View from Britain”. The Western Historical Quarterly 34.3 (2003): 301–324. Web. 02 Mar. 2016

Green, John. "Thomas Jefferson & His Democracy: Crash Course US History #10."YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2016.

Jackson, Donald. “On Reading: Lewis & Clark”. Montana: The Magazine of Western History 18.3 (1968): 2–7. Web. 29 Feb. 2016

“Lewis and Clark Interactive Map.” PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.

Sadosky, Leonard J.. The Journal of American History 96.1 (2009): 332–333. Web. 04 Mar. 2016